Looking to buy, first sports car experiences?
 

So I'm 19 and currently saving for a new car, and the Z looks like exactly what I'm after, so looking at a 2010 MT GT model hopefully. The main thing I'm really waiting for is my insurance costs to go down, as at the moment there looking to be about £4,000 a year, which works out twice the monthly cost of the car itself, so I'm a little ways off as of yet.

Anyway, I currently drive a Toyota Celica GTS, so going from a FWD 190hp car to a ~330hp RWD car is quite a swap. Just wondering if anyone here made a similar change and has any advice or stories, other than the normal 'don't drive like a moron' :tup:

Also people say quite often that the ride quality is so-so, and the you feel most bumps in the road, at the moment my car has absolutely terrible ride quality, the back end squeaks a lot and you cant hear the radio when you're going 80 due to road noise. The car is a 16 year old Toyota so I'm letting it off the hook, however is the 370z similar to this? Hard to judge what some people define as 'bumpy ride'.

IMNSHO, the ride quality of the 2009 Touring I had was very good for a sports car - firm but not harsh. It can be bumpy on a rough road but that's common for any light car with a suspension made for canyon carving.

Maintenance costs are rather high if you have the work done by a dealership - download a copy of the FSM (link in sig) and DIY. Plenty of how-to's on this site.

Road noise is real in the Z. And the ride is a little more harsh than other cars I have been in - the way I look at it though is that while the Z is a little more harsh and road noise is louder - it feels like you are in a sports car vs a Mustang (IMO) - I am a fan of Mustangs but I just feel like the ride is too smooth - almost like you are in a sedan that is really really fast but doesn't have a lot of feel when it comes to feeling the road.

Like most have told me when i bring up different cars - go test drive one and see for yourself. The Z is a balanced fun car to drive; my main concern would be the insurance costs for driving it.

When it comes to road noise, the Z is the loudest car I've ever been in.

The ride isn't that harsh in my opinion, but it is like driving a lowered car around, even stock.

Insurance on the Z is also the highest of any car I've owned.

Don't squeeze yourself financially for a car, if that's what you're doing. I love my Z, but there are lots of fun options out there.

I feel it's smoother and quieter when you aren't using the stock Yokos and if you put aftermarket parts such as catback and test pipes you don't hear the road anyways. The Z is rather tiny and I feel how it rides and hugs the road is different than most cars, such as the mustang. (never driven the newer ones). I also believe the Z is a lot lower to the road than the Mustang which adds to the road noise.

I'm on the yokohamas and I also feel that there is nothing wrong with the harshness of the ride. I like feeling connected to the road to a certain extent, but the Z really is not bad. Note that I don't have aggressive coilovers. Someone else put it well when they said road noise is real. To a certain extent that just comes with the territory of owning a sports car. I came to the Z from a base model 2006 Impala... basically the car that the elderly drive if they can't afford a Buick. I learned to drive a stick on the Z, which was (is?) an interesting experience, but that's a story for another thread.

Insurance is a bitch. No way around that owning a car like this. I hear STI drivers are hit pretty hard too.

I’ve driven a lot of cars, old, new, minivans, modified Hondas, trucks, Ferraris, Lambos etc etc... and honestly I don’t see why people complain about the road noise and harshness. I just don’t see an issue. Although, when it has rained, that’s a different story, sounds like you left the hatch open in the back. But in all honesty, add some dynamat and you’re done.

My advice is to respect the rain and really get a feel for not only the Z, but rwd in general before you really start to push the car in any capacity. Driving dynamics and counter-steering are entirely different on a rwd car compared with the fwd car to which you are accustomed. The last thing you want to do is overthrottle exiting a corner only to realize that unlike your fwd car which will begin to understeer and plow outside of your chosen line, a rwd car like the Z will kick out the rear end. The driving nannies in the Z will certainly be your friend until you're used to the car. To that end, don't turn off traction control until you have a nice warm dry day, tires with life, and not alot of cars around you because you may very well spin the car.

Ride is fine, the price you pay for stiff suspension (performance over comfort). Gas mileage sucks. Tires are expensive.

Given your age and your concern over the insurance, I'd recommend getting an FRS. It's not much of a HP bump, but it's easily the best (and most fun) car that I can think of for learning how to handle a sporty rwd car. You can hang it out non-stop and still be in complete control due to suspension, 50/50 weight distribution, tire width, lack of hp/torque, and relatively low vehicle weight. Further, with baby backseats, narrow tires, and a trunk, you'll be able to drive the gt86 year round with ease (provided you pick up some all seasons or snow tires). Winter driving is something I wouldn't advise in the Z. Some do it, but it's far from ideal no matter how you cut it. After a couple years with the frs, you'd be more than prepared to trade it and step up to the Z or other 300+ rwd cars/coupes.

No car I've ever driven felt as close to the e36 3 series as the frs, and those were well designed cars.

I get what you mean, in reality I find it much easier to save money if I have a goal, and something more specific than just a house or a holiday.

If I can't see this as financially viable, I'm fine with waiting, as I have a lot of fun with my current car. The only thing I can fault it on is the ride quality and the fact it tries too hard to look faster than it is.

I have had a good look at the FRS, simply because it almost seems like a straight upgrade and pretty good entry into RWD cars. I just prefer the styling of the 370 so so much more I guess, I can't stop staring at that ***

I don't find road noise to be an issue at all in the Z, but my second vehicle's a Jeep Rubicon so maybe only in comparison to that. Good advise above on REALLY taking it easy in the rain. I agree with you on the 370's styling and that ***! I like the FRS styling, but it still falls short compared to the Z :twocents:

Your Celica GTS may be faster than an FRS lol.

They drive REALLY well though. If they had any power I would have grabbed one. Also check out the MX-5, there's a reason they sell so well.

Zetine,

You asked for advice .... so here it is.

For crying out loud .... don't tie yourself down to high insurance rates and car payments. Here's what will happen if you do.

You'll blow the clutch, trash the tranny, or get overly enthusiastic with the high powered speed demon and slide it broadside into a ditch ... and you'll be walking because you can't afford the car payments, the insurance, or the cost to make repairs, not to mention the cost of Premium fuel in the UK that a 370Z must have to stay happy.

If you physically fit (I don't because I'm 6' 3" and all legs) ... get a nicely used Miata MX5. There are used parts for it everywhere, they use regular fuel, and the insurance and the purchase price will still allow you to have a life without worrying about how to pay for it and next month's rent. And the new generation comes within a half second of the 370z's 0 to 60 time.

You telegraphed in the first paragraph of your first post the unrealistic reach you're trying to achieve by purchasing a 9 year old car that'll cost 4000 British Pounds to insure ( about $6000 US), and that price is double what your monthly payments will be to purchase the car. And you haven't even factored in maintenance, tires, etc., or premium fuel at over $5.00 USD a US gallon!

I can see the possible future misery you're setting yourself up for.

Be patient. Wait until you can actually afford to get that sports car you really want.

Affordability aside (you'll have to figure out if you can really afford the car or not) I would say the car is good, not perfect.

Power is plenty and fun, but not snap your neck back fast. Lots of fun on twisty roads and track, but not as flickable or as confidence inspiring as a Miata. The CSC will go, which costs a few hundred for parts, but you end up adding on the "might as well"s like the clutch and flywheel and you're in 3k USD. Tires do cost a fair amount given the width and kind of tire usually put on the car. MPG isn't great as above. NVH is not great. But Miata's are worse IMO. Can't say if it's worse than your car. I do have to turn the volume up at speed, but can def hear the radio easily at 80.

Purchase a Nissan 370Z if you can overall they are reliable and dependable vehicles to own. The ride quality of the base Nissan 370Z with stock suspension is actually very good for a sports car really. The ride quality isn’t as great on the Nissan 370Z Nismo model with the Nismo suspension but,handles like a champ in the turns and off the line.I will say that Toyota reliablity and dependability is hard to beat. The Nissan 370Z is in a class of it’s own in the sports car world and is a excellent vehicle to own overall. The CSC failure issue is hit or miss from what I have seen though some fail and some get lucky and their CSC doesn’t fail it’s a roll of the dice? At your age with a excellent driving record insurance on a Nissan 370Z should not be too bad. Ask your parents/family or a friend if you can be on their insurance and you will save on your insurance costs. As long as you do all your general maintenance on time our Nissan 370’s they will last a long long time to come just find a shop or do the work yourself. The best of luck with your vehicle shopping.

Sounds like you're talking from experience there :icon17:

I appreciate your concern with the financial side of things; I get it, it costs a lot to own one of these, I've spent a fair amount of time searching through general maintenance costs, as well as sudden costs that might appear, the high costs did look scary, yet I'm still here. I don't intend to rush into anything I can't actually maintain, that first paragraph was mainly to show that I'm not exactly going to get one next week, I will actually wait until I can get the sports car I really want. However, starting off saying I'm 19 was probably a big red flag for you guys, hence the realistic responses. But hey, I'm the most naive I'm ever going to be right now (hopefully), and I'm very much set on a 370, but I'm not looking to do anything to bankrupt myself by jumping into things too soon.

And with the MX5 deal, I'm really not too keen on them I'm afraid, I guess I would like one many years down the line as a project or something fun to work on, but as of right now, ehh

$4K a year for insurance?!? :eek: :gtfo2:
I love my Z but it's not worth double whatever price you're looking at - that insurance cost is damn near what my monthly payment was on a brand new Z.

Tires are what surprised me. I could barely get 6 months out of a set rear tires. Spent probably close to $1800 per year :twocents:

Not to mention mods. This car is not cheap to own or work on. Small numbers mean limited aftermarket part options and specialty shops that know the Z well are few and far between for the most part. Can't imagine the UK is any better off than the US in that regard.

FWIW, I traded in a 2000 Nissan Sentra base model for the Z. Think it was rated around 120 hp (at the crank) lol

Get out of here JAR! Before you buy everything up that isn’t even in this thread...

Anyway he’s right, I pay 1/4 of that for my insurance. And I know you’re set on a z34, but it’s a very *** happy car, not the best for your first Rwd imho... also, it’s an old platform, don’t get me wrong I love my Z, but it’s not worth the price it is new anymore... and even if you get an old one, after that insurance you might as well be buying a new on anyway in terms of cost... you do you man, we live and we learn. But I feel you’d be much better of with an frs or even a 350Z... just my .02

I guess I'm gonna have to rain on the parade

You're 19. A sports car is a waste of money, particularly if it's your only car.

I don't know what the exact selection of cars is, since you live in the UK, but I would instead STRONGLY recommend:

1) something more insurable. A 19 year old with a rwd 2 seat sports car is gonna get mauled by the insurance companies

2) something less worthy of the cops attention than a sports car

3) something 4 dr, with more practical space

4) something cheap enough you aren't eating up your savings just to buy the car, much less maintain it

It's hard to hear this but at 19, it is more important to either finish whatever education level you're targeting, whether its a trade or university

Once you have secured a job that you reasonable expect you can hold on to, AND can cover housing, food, etc, look at what you have left over

and still don't buy a sports car. dump it in some sort of savings or investment and buy a damn house

then get a sports car

i did it your way, i was an fuckin' idiot. Got a used s14 kouki in college. Dumped money into it to swap in a 5-spd. Four sets of wheels (i think), three different suspension setups. S15 helical diff. Uber rare parts from japan and the UK. Track events. Two different brake upgrades. Custom work. Then, repairs along the way. Can't imagine how many dollars i blew on that thing learning thru mistakes of all variety

Got a job. had to buy a second car since the s14 wasn't reliable. Bought a used is300. parked two cars on the street because i was living in a single bedroom apartment - thats ridiculous. More cars than bedrooms? thats stupid

Finally got to a point in my career when i could afford a house, quickly sold the S14 (at a stupid loss, because i was lazy). Took a few years to get set up. Got off probation at work, earned some security

THEN i got a Z - lightly used

I i didn't blow all that money on the S14 in college i probably coulda moved everything up a couple years

The Z isn't the worst sports car in the world by any stretch. the issues are the CSC and overall mediocre fuel economy.

Didn't the UK get the Altezza with the hot 4SGE "beams" engine?
If i can't talk you into something boring, i'd rather look at something like that

Im in the favor of a young man having a sports car if he respects it and can afford it. I mean what other time in your life will it be better to own a 2 seater sports car? Young with no obligations so why would you need a 4 door car anyways... to haul your friends around? Anyways like I said if you can afford it I think you should do it but it looks like your insurance is bending you over backwards and I agree with others here that you should not hamper yourself with that kind of bill. There are plenty of other sports car options out there that wont kill you im sure of it.

It's obvious he cannot.

When I was 19, the Z32 Twin Turbo 300ZX came out. I vowed that when I got out of college, I was going to buy that car. I did get a good job after graduation, and while I had what it took to put myself in the car, it wouldn't have been practical and I would have been financially strapped. I ended up buying a new Nissan SE-V6 King Cab 4WD (I liked off-roading as well), and that turned out to be a much better choice at the time. Now I finally have my Z and don't have to scape by to enjoy it.

All of that said, do whatever you think is best. Part of life is learning by your own experiences, and I've seen plenty of young people make things work when really committed to something.

NOT a 370z obviously, but a sports car? HELL yes he can, like I said in my original post there are plenty of options!

I'll share my experience as a very young Z owner:

Got my 2006 350z when I was 17 (Haters gonna hate...) I got very good financing if anyone was wondering how that happened.

I was a college student who had a stanky job as a janitor, and between books and gas, and all the other stupid stuff you buy as a brand new adult, I quickly ran out of money. Insurance was cheap though, because I only had liability insurance. (I still do to this day, because now the car is worth pretty much nothing now lol)

During my second semester of college, I realized the lifestyle I was living was not sustainable, and decided to join the Navy. The job I got was hard and paid well, so I found myself able to purchase a 2015 Nismo at the age of 22. I kept my old car to keep the miles off.

If mods are your thing, you better have the money. I just purchased my first mod for my 350z a few months ago.

Long story short, as a very young Z owner I ran out of money and had to make some major life changes to keep my car (among other things). If the car had been wrecked, or if the csc (in your case, with a 370z) went out, I would have been totally screwed. After over 6 years of ownership however, the 350z has never broken down. Only two flat tires. I feel very fortunate to have had things turn out the way that they have. Best of luck to you.

You'll love the car but you'll hate yourself for buying it in 5 years or less. Financially I could right now buy a new 911 GT3 RS but I couldn't do much else but look at it and stay at home eating rice every night and that's not fun.

What I did end up doing was buying a used V6 Camaro and driving that from 18 till I was 26 and had to get another car when it was totaled by a sleeping driver. It was 2005 and I could have blown all my money on an S2k or a 350Nismo etc but a bought a V6 Tiburon SE. An excellent car and by not having to pay interest or high insurance I was able to buy a nice place to live, game consoles, take vacations, and other fun things.

You are very lucky that you have a great choice of fun, fast, cheap, hatchbacks being in the UK. That's the smart and fun choice.

Yeeeesss turbo hatch.

I had a Mazdaspeed3 (Mazda MPS there I think?) and it's a killer deal. If FWD isn't a dealbreaker, maybe look into that. It's just as fast as the Z, if not faster, and insurance considered it to just be a Mazda3.

I say buy a sports car!
I don't know about there, but 350z and 300z are cheap as hell around here. You can get a decent one for 6k or so.
Do it while you don't have any responsibilities, before you have kids. Going out to late night car meets and hanging out, doing dumb **** was one of my favorite parts of college.
Now i'm a homebody and haven't been to a car meet in years.

My two cents... Dont do it. You have your whole life ahead of you to indulge in the car of your dreams. Concentrate on getting your career started, make more money and then you can comfortably get a dream car.
I was dumb and bought a new sports coupe I couldnt really afford, it got repossessed 2 years after getting it. In hindsight, I shouldve settled on a practical/affordable DD and focused on my future.
Sure, I had fun, but it wasnt so fun always worrying about the next car payment, insurance payment, basic maintenance, etc...

Yeah a 350 can be a good deal if unmolested. I would absolutely not buy a 300zx though, those things are money pits and impossible to work on.

Car meets have died off sadly. It's either those street shutdowns with lots of idiots doing idiot things for snapchat, or tiny groups. I saw an enthusiast miata meet the other night and man it made me miss those days.

I remember the days of going to meets in my (basically) stock civic. I ended up completely building and swapping that car and learned so much.
It still would have been more fun to have a fun car to begin with, rather than making a boring car fun.

Haha, I hung out with the MX-6 / Probe guys. Our cars were slow af but man we had fun.

Then I got a turbo swapped MR2. A teenager should not have that car.

I couldn't even imagine getting that car at that age. Just to give you some perspective on insurance, I am paying 130 a month with a 2000 dollar deductible (I've never had a speeding ticket). With a normal deductible I'm looking at 200+ a month. At your age, these prices will probably be doubled. Also you'll be spending 2-4k a year in gas (US gas prices) or maybe more depending on how much you drive.

Make sure you are financially stable before you buy the car. I waited until I was finished with college. Once I finished my 6 month contract and became a full time employee, I bought the car that week.

Edit: Just saw in your post that you're already aware of insurance costs

Mmmm MR2... God damn those are good looking cars. The guys down the street swap tons of them with the jdm mini van engines.

Here is my old rice mobile.
K20a2 with more mods than i can count.
Its still sitting in the garage and never gets driven...
Attachment 136467

How much do you like cars?
Will you be working on car?
Are you thinking it would be fun to have Sports Car?

You need to be insane about automobiles.Cars need to be your life.Willing to work a second job just for the Z.Wrench on the car late into the night.At your age if you are thinking it would be fun do not buy.

My friends and I have been crazy about cars from an early age.In 1970s when I was 16 owned 70 Chevelle with 396 and posse.I had to sacrifice a lot for that car.At 20 I wrapped car around a tree.Did I get something practical after?Hell no.My next car was 66 Corvette big block.I continue to be like this my whole life.

19?

Buy a slow car mate. You have plenty of time in your life to own quick cars. I'm really glad I wasn't driving something with Z power levels when having overconfident teenage-and-early-20's brain farts.

First off ignore what these people are saying about age or whatever. I’m a firm believer that If you can start making sh*t happen and work for you at a younger age then you’ll keep that mindset/motivation as you progress in life. This is a sub 15k car, it isn’t going to ruin your life if you buy it and have to work a little harder to keep it.

Anyway I bought my first 370z at 19 also. I haaaddd to have it lol. Could have bought it sooner too but I waited till I found the right one. Long story short. It’s a fun first sports car. It’s got an ok amount of power and it handles good stock. I think it’s one of the best sports cars in that price bracket. These cars do have issues. One of the most common ones is the CSC failure. I had it happen to me a couple times and it will leave you stranded. Expect to spend at least $1000 when that happens. Another common issue is the steering lock issue which will also leave you stranded. Next comes the misfire codes here and there that you can try to chase down.

My insurance rates were also high, somewhere in the 3k range. My 2011 Kawasaki zx10r which I had at the same time was $3700 a year LMAO, I still have the receipts for that.. So I was fortunate enough to convince my mom to insure the car. It was only like 120-150 a month with me listed as driver. Hopefully you have parents, grandparents or older siblings that would do the same and trust you enough to insure the car for you.
Paying $4000 a year for insurance on a 15,000 car is stupid. Chances are you won’t make a claim and in 3 years you could have bought another car for what you paid in insurance. I wouldn’t buy it for that reason solely, insurance cost.

I kept my first 370z for two years, it wasn’t fun anymore and it was slow compared to all the newer cars around. So I sold it and found a car with everything I wanted, turbos and a V8 lol. I then bought a BMW M6 Gran Coupe when I was 21. So that “too young for a sports car” crap is bs. My M6 makes around 800hp at the motor and breaks traction at 120mph. I’m 23 now and perfectly fine and safe. You just have to respect the car you drive.

On the bright side, things do get cheaper though. I bought my second, current 370z when I was 22 and the insurance is only like 90 a month for full coverage.

If I were you, I would listen to these guys on the forum. They are a lot older than you and they talk from experience. If you are only 19 and want to get into car payments, specially a 370z, you are going to dig a hole. We live in a society where buying a sports car to show off to your friends is important nowadays. You still in the first year in college, if you are a student, and you are thinking about getting a 370z? lol. Worse investment is buying an used car, especially a 5-7 years old. Get yourself something cheap and decent, worry about finishing school and then you can buy your dream car. I bought my 17 z when I was 24, at the age of 27, I bought my dream car which was a 16 911 s

How will going in debt - for something that is not essential - work for anyone, regardless of age?

If OP were the type to make sh*t happen, s/he wouldn't be asking what to do.

Going into short term temporary debt for something that still holds a value can work for anyone. It’s not like it’s random credit card debt. If the car payments become too much of a hassle he/she can always sell the car. A vehicle can be considered essential. The debt is temporary. If they were able to make due, once they were done with that debt then they would be ahead doing whatever job helped them over come it.

But yeah you’re right, if OP already had that mindset this thread wouldn’t be here.

A vehicle, yes. A 370Z, with its higher price and more expensive maintenance (not to mention limited passenger/cargo capacity), not so much.

I've had various sports/sporty cars over the years but I never put myself in a bind to get one. If money was tight, I got something more pedestrian (ie, cheaper).

I see your point(s) but, going by OP's post, I believe he's not in a position to be taking on unnecessary debt. YMMV